In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Polk Audio. Polk Audio Legend L400 is a Center Channel speaker whereas the L100 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk L400 and Polk L100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk L400 | Polk L100 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | 1" Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" | 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-38k Hz | 57-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87.5 dB | 85.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-300 watts | 30-160 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.55kg / 40.8lbs | 7.68kg / 16.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9-5/8" x 26-1/16" x 13-1/2"
245.0 x 662.0 x 343.0mm | 13-11/16" x 7-7/8" x 11-5/16"
348.0 x 201.0 x 288.0mm |
|---|
L400 and L100 are members of Polk Audio's Legend L series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the Polk L400 and Polk L100 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Polk L400 |
Polk L100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L400 is a 3-way design whereas the L100 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Polk L400Polk L100
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk L400 |
Polk L100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
L400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woofer. On the other hand, the L100 features a 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
L400 has a frequency range of 55-38k Hz whereas L100 has a frequency range of 57-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the L400 can go slightly deeper then the L100's min frequency of 57Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L400 and L100 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. L400 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the L100's is at 85.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk L400 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L100, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L400 and the L400 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
L400 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas L100 has a max power handling value of 160 watts RMS, 140 watts less than the L400.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
L400 features Post type posts and L100 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk L400's Binding post terminals
Polk L100's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both L400 and L100 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk L400 Port
Polk L100 Enhanced Power Port Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Polk L400's and Polk L100's external dimensions. Polk L400 has external dimensions of 245.0 x 662.0 x 343.0mm (9-5/8 x 26-1/16 x 13-1/2inch) whereas Polk L100 has external dimensions of 348.0 x 201.0 x 288.0mm (13-11/16 x 7-7/8 x 11-5/16inch).
Polk L100 is 461mm narrower and 55mm less deeper than Polk L400 but it is also 103mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Polk L400 is approximately 2270.7cm2 / 352.0inch2 and base area of the Polk L100 is approximately 578.9cm2 / 89.7inch2. The L400 requires 292% more surface area than the L100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk L400?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-wires
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of Polk L100?
Here are the items that come with the L100:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration